Exhibition of the future town on the site of the 800ha Paya Lebar Airbase when it's relocated (Image: URA)
SINGAPORE (EDGEPROP) - When Paya Lebar Airbase moves out in the 2030s, it will be redeveloped into a new town with around 150,000 new homes, says Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, at the National Day Rally on Aug 21.
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This is equivalent to the number of homes in Punggol and Sengkang combined.
The relocation of the airbase to Changi was announced in the National Day Rally of 2013. Paya Lebar Airport officially opened in 1955, and was Singapore’s first commercial international airport before Changi Airport was built. In 1981, Paya Lebar Airport was converted into a military airbase.
Artist's impression of future town with central spine on the site of the Paya Lebar Airbase when it's relocated (Image: Prime Minister's Office)
The runway stretches 3.8km across the Paya Lebar Airbase. According to Lee, it is aligned along the direction of prevailing winds, for aircraft to avoid crosswinds when they take off and land. The future town can be oriented in the same direction, which will make the town naturally breezy, he adds.
The runway can be repurposed into the town’s “central spine”, and turned into “a green connector” or community space extending from one end of the town to the other.
“It will be a distinctive and attractive heritage feature, unique to Paya Lebar,” says Lee.
The relocation of the airbase will also mean some of the building height restrictions around it can be lifted (Image: Prime Minister's Office)
Public and private housing can sit on both sides of the spine, with amenities and recreational areas close by. Commercial and industrial developments can also be located nearby, to bring jobs closer to homes. (Find Singapore commercial properties with our commercial directory)
The relocation of the airbase will also mean some of the building height restrictions around it can be lifted. This means, neighbouring towns such as Hougang, Marine Parade or Punggol can be redeveloped, with more amenities included and better use of space.
“It will not happen overnight,” says Lee. “But over decades, we can completely reimagine the Eastern part of Singapore.”
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